Wow Fred, check out this big whale and that turtle! Which turtle Bess?

Oh wow, every where we go here we make friends.

A romantic moment.It's about milkin time Bessie is fairly burstin! Hi Mr. Milkman how about a hand? or two?

Little pig is hopeful...

Oh yeah buddy, now that is what I'm talkin about! God bless the dairy farmers! Oink oink and whoooo hooooo.

Nice suggestion, don't mind if we do.

Fred has been thinking about that other guy trying to get away with his bovine. He is thinking that it's about that time.

To make it official. Isn't she beautiful?

All dressed up for the party and all the new friends have come to celebrate. Little pig is milk drunk, thanks to Bessie and the Diva Pig has arrived.

The gang is all here.

Those bovines . Cow's unite!

Later on as the bovines relax with the pork,...such a lovely view. Are they always so kissie face?

Just in case you'd rather have your milk in a cup the Bess is always the perfect hostess. She picked up a new handbag during her travels isn't it so chic?

Little pig has been asking for refills...drunk I say.

Fred takin in the sights.

The Diva in heels!

Not to be outdone Fred and Bessie try some new styles on too. What a party. Fred and Bessie have had a wonderful time. Wonder where they'll turn up next.

Flea these are your bovines aren't they? Are your fences broken? Are your lonely for them? The cat did it? Naughty Lou, you can not trust a cat. I hope you haven't worried. These are the most adventurous bovines ever...

For more adventures of Fred and Bessie click on The World According to Flea.

I have been trying to think of something good to post about. Do you find that good writing requires a good mood? It's not like we haven't done anything at all. I did cook some yesterday and thought about posting about cooking, and didn't. My feet were numb and it wasn't fun.

The garden is growing and struggling from the heat but it is hanging in there. I am getting cucumbers, no tomatoes yet they are still green. I need to make some pickles. I thought about posting on the garden but I didn't.

I'm losing weight, and thought about posting about that, but didn't.

I'm reading a book that is supposed to be fabulous, "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson, but I find it wordy and confusing. I can't get a clear picture about the house in my head, I suppose I really do think at that Jr. high level. I thought about posting about books, and didn't.

The truth is I just feel blah. If I let myself I could cry, but I'm not going to, not today.

I am really tired of these boots. Sometimes I walk around without them, anyway just to test and see if these ankles are really cracked and maybe this isn't true. I am careful with my cheating.

Truthfully, I feel a little whiney and depressed about it. It's not even the 1st of July yet, I have to wear these all through the summer and it has been STINKIN hot! I won't paint a picture of the sweat drenched ultra thick padding in these boots.

I am behind on everything. If I try and just tough it out and stand up to clean and get things done well I trip because the feet on these things are too long, or kick something, ouch. Getting upstairs is really interesting. Not a pretty sight. I have to use two hands and kinda haul my self up and it's really because the boots are so awkward. My husband helps and so does Kayla but you know how it is when the mom is off duty.

And I am REALLY tired of duck jokes.

So that is it.

A pity party! Welcome to my pity party. You know, I know the drill. Think about how much worse things good be, or think about all the good that is. I know that. I am grateful for what is good.I know it could be worse my whole body could be in a dad gum boot and then I'd throw my self off of some bridge. But if you don't mind I'll just go ahead and have a little pity party today and if you don't want to attend I certainly understand.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

He has made everything appropriate in it's time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which GOD has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in ones lifetime,Ecclesiastes 3:11,12

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--

A time to give birth, and a time to die;A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.A time to kill and a time to heal;A time to tear down and a time to build up.A time to weep and a time to laugh;A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

I was looking at the watermelons today and can you believe this? Talk about the sheep in the meadow and the cows in the ----? These are unruly livestock if ever there were some.

What now? They aren't alone. Looks like they found some friends.

Your kidding right?

That little pig thinks this is very funny, rolling on the ground laughing his little pork off.

Looks like they are all in on the joke. Don't these cows belong somewhere in Oklahoma?Where is that Marlboro Man with the burly forearms? How about the Milkman with his burly forearms? Doesn't anybody know how to keep livestock anymore?

Well, what did you expect? This is Fresh Fixins where you never do know what your going to get, and this would be SILLY SATURDAY.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

This is my birthday present. Cool huh? My Dad came to visit and wanted to take us out to eat. I told him it would make me sick to spend a $100 eating in a restaurant.I said if we were going to spend some money I wanted a camera. I am using Piglet's camera and I need to send it to her. I can't keep something that belongs to my kid! But a blogger has to have a camera... I am so excited it is really cool. My hunny and my Dad went in on this together. We got a great deal. They talked about wrapping it up until my birthday. I talked about killing them both. You know, "over your dead bodies." Think for one second that I am going to wait to use this camera.

This is my Dad he's playing with my computer. Our whole family is hopelessly addicted to technology. I think he was pleased that I didn't get all excited about eating. He suggested in a nice diplomatic way that I get into a weight reduction plan for my feet. Yeah, I know. The poor little things have broken under the burden. However the good news is we had a great visit and I have a camera to play with! We did not break the bank at any eateries either.

My Dad was impressed with my computer. He saw my blog about Jimmy's glasses and went out and bought a pair just like them! He thought the desk Jimmy built was pretty fine too.

Don't the glasses look familiar?

Dad and Jim checking out the back yard finery. The lawn tractor broke, so there it sits. Jim is mechanically inclined which is a good thing, he already ordered the parts to repair it. In the south we say "fixin" for a lot of reasons, in this case he would be fixin to fix it.

Dad queried, "Where does that drain go?" Jim replied, "I am not sure, let me see." We have lived here 9 years and he never wanted to know before? That surprised me. Or he looked a long time ago and can't remember, which wouldn't surprise me at all.

The men are in a deep discussion, it could be about anything. It could be about politics, how hot it is, what is planted there, or which way that drain pipe went. We had a great visit.Dad was impressed with Madison. I am thinking about taking some photos out and about and show you the sights with my new camera. We have never left the homestead before. You might be a wee bit curious about what is around here.

My Dad flew back home today. We both left the house at 9:30am. He went on his trip home, I went on my trip to the beauty parlor.

Have I mentioned the heat lately? Record breaking sweaty heat.

I mentioned the heat to my hairdresser. We talked about short. Her idea of short is more than what mine is. I'm scared to show you. Take a deep breath ok?

There isn't much left. Not much at all. I told myself to breathe deeply. I almost started crying. I have a lot of wrinkles. When did that happen? I cropped out most of them, isn't that cool?My hairdresser was impressed with the hair color I did myself, she said it was beautiful.But then she cut off all my hair.

OK this is it. It looks better in this picture than when I look in the mirror. When I look in the mirror I hyperventilate. I am much cooler bald. This is a comfortable in the heat do. I am reaching here. No brush or comb required. Seriously a few fingers threw it will do the job. It looks like more hair than it is.

The back. The longest hairs are not even 2 inches long. I have NEVER EVER EVER in my life had my hair cut this short. Panic...sigh...sob... and the most amazing thing ever is, my husband who HATES short hair with a passion....LIKES IT. Go figure.

The good news is it didn't break the camera.

Just when you calm down about one big deal another one happens.

A lot of folks thought I was still hanging about the house in Felton. I guess I didn't write the end of my previous post very clearly. We are over it. The course is set straight ahead through the blistering heat of summer in the south and the fast track to financial freedom. I've got the hair do for it.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Tomatoes are coming on, no red ones yet. The heat is continuing. It is making me wonder if this is it and we are full blown into summer. I am praying for rain. A thunder shower would be so welcome. We are so blessed to have hoses that are hooked up to water. What was it like to depend on rain? Farmers must have prayed a LOT.

Look at what I found while I was watering? Hello fellas, make some toadie babies to eat these skeeters up. I am being eaten alive while I am watering this yard in the sweltering heat at 9:30am. I'm wearing my nightie. Jimmy says I am shameless walking around outside in my night gown. I'm in the BACK yard. I can't see the point of taking a shower and getting dressed to come out here and soak my clothes in sweat, and then need another shower. Sweat first then shower. The toads think my logic is impressive and they don't give a flip about the nightie.

Tons of squash blossoms or gourds, there are tons of them. No cucumbers yet nary a one.

Do you see it? Isn't it cute? A little baby watermelon...

The husband went blue berry picking.

I'm making biscuits/scones and I can't take pictures of this. It's very hard to photograph white stuff. Beside the flash goes off and messes everything up.

This is the dough and it's going to go onto the floured board and then gently be folded and folded and then patted. Keeping it soft is the key.

Cutting out. This part is fun. I never thought of adding blueberries or anything else to biscuits but why not? I also put some dried orange peel bits in.They are finished and delicious. Even with nothing on them, but I put some blueberry peach preserves on top. Lip smacking good.

While watering with both the hose, and the sweat I was thinking. I was thinking about how long it will be until fall when we will begin to cool off again. We have just really begun to peel away all the unnecessary layers of life. We are on a fast track to financial freedom right now. The only thing left to pay is the house. No car payments no bills, not one. If we continue to live like little farmers and put the bulk of our income onto the mortgage which is pretty small at this point we have 2 more years to go of me working in the hospital. I'm not ruling out some other source of income. We have other things we do, but everything else is in addition to the steady income. Everything is going toward paying off the house debt. Everything.

I was thinking about Brin over at "My Messy Thrilling Life," I was wondering what it was about her story that is so compelling. If you go back to the beginning of her adventure she is not the same woman now. She has been through the refiners fire. All the junk, the dross, the trappings of this world have been burned off. The only thing remaining now is who she is, purely. She is not pure, no one is, but who she is shines through and brightly. By uncluttering her life, and ordering her priorities she has stripped away all the junk that clouds ones person. Her thoughts can be clearly expressed in a simple world; her God, her dog, her home, the garden, the feelings of creativity, the appreciation of each day. Each part integrated into a calm expression of who she is one who is living life. She jumped off the hamster wheel of consumerism and became a producer.

Sometimes we find books that change our lives. A book "Choices," by Mary Farrar examines how we got to where we are now. She starts with the little house on the prairie, that small family unit that our forefathers lived in, and traces all the changes that occurred. For example the impact the industrial revolution made on the family. What happened to the family when the father left the home? She tracks each step in our history and discusses the impact the changes made on the family. It is an amazing thought provoking book. She is the one who put this thought into my mind, " we went from being producers of everything in our lives, to consumers. "

So what is wrong with that?

There is no soul satisfaction in consuming. We feed this bottomless pit of wants and desires. In the process of getting drunk on our wants and desires we also get sloppy and wasteful. We don't appreciate what we have. We don't even realize how rich we are. To a person in a third world country the poorest welfare person here, is rich. They have a place to live with appliances in it. They have toilets and sinks, running water. We just don't get it. I think about my African friend who said to me once, "you have pockets."

Eliminating clutter, and consumerism, is one more step to the journey we are on. It's getting easier and easier to let things go. No TV, no diet cokes, no fast food, no renting movies, no eating out, no ....whatever. I don't miss it. I did at first. But where those things once stood and are no more there are now, other things.

There is home made tea to drink and water with fresh squeezed lime or a sprig of orange mint picked fresh from the window box under the kitchen window. There are home made biscuits and fresh vegetables. We have accumulated a small mountain of movies, so now we are watching them. Eating out? Why not invite someone over and have a little get together, my meals are just as good, sometimes better.

There is an endless supply of real life stories on the internet. People sharing their real lives, without commercials or interruptions. I guess you could consider having to put the computer down to go pee an interruption, but it's not like getting stressed out when just at the most intriguing moment of a movie the gazillion commercials start. I don't want to pay for HBO. I am happy keeping the $50 I was spending for cable TV. As soon as we get hooked up to vonage our bill for the internet and phone will be $60. We were spending almost $300 for phones, TV, and internet. That is CRAZY.

Watering the garden gets my thoughts going and I apologize for rambling on. I'm just thinking about a lot of things this morning. I'm thinking about where we are headed and this fork in the road. There can only be one path. We can only go one way. So do we continue on this path the one that includes this blistering heat and the short amount of time to financial freedom? Or do we go back to the land of beauty and saddle ourselves with $400,000 of debt? Did you know that the word mortgage is a Latin based word and it means "a pledge of death?" It's not without temptation. It is really not as easy as it sounds. Our families are there. We have little grand babies there. We could do this. We could rent out the downstairs and do a lot of things to make money. We have the software which would help us get the mortgage paid off faster. We don't just sell it, we own it. We know what it could do. The pull to return is very strong. It almost feels like a riptide. But the cost.

Hmm, continue to simplify or?

I wonder if it was a test. Having my house come across my path, like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey. If it is a test I passed. I am waving goodbye. At least right now. I am not saying that it won't cross my mind a million times until it is sold. But for now we'll stay the course, going down this road.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

You've seen it before. I never get tired of looking at it. On this side of heaven it's probably the only house that ever so completely stole our families hearts. I know there are a lot better houses out there. It probably doesn't look like much to you other than big.

When we lived here I had the yard terraced with flowers it was so pretty. It wouldn't take long to get the yard pretty again. The back yard has fruit trees. Wild blackberry bushes are everywhere. The girls used to try and pick enough for pie, they never did, they ate too many.

An old friend called today. It's been years since we have talked. We home schooled our kids together and we spent a lot of time together then. My grand girls and her kids were thick as thieves, they were totally in love and they had inseparable friendships. We went everywhere together, swimming, outings, field trips, the park. We saw each other almost every day. It's odd how you can be so close to people and then circumstances change and you aren't in each others lives at all.

My friend knew me when I lived here. Now don't get confused, but she has also been friends with the people who bought the house and live there now. All these years her family has had the pleasure of this house. They have gone to Mt. Hermon to go swimming, over the drawbridge and through the woods. You see it's not just about the house, it is WHERE the house is. Being a next door neighbor to a Christian conference ground like that is an indescribable blessing. In the summer we were free to just walk across the street and enjoy the festivities. We could go hear Buddy Greene sing and play his harmonica, or listen to Chuck Swindoll. It was all just part of your average day.

No other place has the ability to pull on our heart strings like this one.

It's FOR SALE.

We have to pray. We cannot strive for this and finagle and lose our minds. But if God wants us to go back it would be like a bit of heaven. I cannot even imagine getting to move back into that house. Who ever gets to do something like that?

At the same time I have to wrap all that it could possibly be and lay it at the feet of my Lord.Sometimes that is hard to do, but we must. It probably sounds weird to some, but even if I had the house again, if I was not where God wanted me to be then it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be good. My God does have specific plans for me, and being where He wants is the most important thing.

If He wants us to go there and makes a way for us to do this, I will be wildly happy.If he wants us to stay here and wave goodbye; I must rest in that and be content.